


Experimental

by Strawberrywaltz



Category: Dark Matter (TV)
Genre: Empathy, Experiments, Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Pre-Slash If You Squint, Rescues, Set after Season One Finale, Telepathy, self-sacrificing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-04-13
Packaged: 2018-06-02 02:44:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6547435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strawberrywaltz/pseuds/Strawberrywaltz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One knew the second Two went down that they wouldn’t make it. Not together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Experimental

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in February and finally got it to a place where I wanted to post it for you guys. This isn't beta'd, so my apologies for any mistakes!

One knew the second Two went down that they wouldn’t make it. Not together. Whatever she had been hit with was enough to knock her out instantly. Three and One frantically scrambled to haul her limp body up. Behind them the soldiers were closing in – hidden by the night, trees and rocks all too dense to see through under the shadow of the canopy. There was no time. Not unless time was made. 

“One.” Three stumbled and looked over his shoulder at One when he realized One was no longer sharing Two’s weight. “Get your ass in gear.” 

“We won’t make it.” One shook his head. “Not like this. I can give you time.” 

“Not happening!” Three growled and shifted Two’s weight as she slumped against him. Her slack face nestled into the crook of his shoulder and neck. “We go together.” 

One stared at Three. “We don’t have time to argue. Please.” One looked towards where they had left the ship. Thanks to the clouds hiding the moon it was difficult to see unless you knew where to look. Four, Five and the Android were waiting. “Go.” 

The sound of soldiers approaching made both of the Raza men eye the trees warily. One looked back at Three. They were running out of time. “Go!” One whispered as loudly as he dared and ran into the woods in the opposite direction of the Raza. 

“One!” Three’s voice followed after him, but One didn’t look back. He ran through the trees, sharp branches and thorns striking out at exposed skin as he bulldozed his way through them. One broke out into a clearing and noted several soldiers spot him before he dashed out of sight again. Cries sounded behind him and the chase was on. 

One wanted them to follow. He needed to give Three enough time to get Two back to the Raza. He just hoped Three had listened to him or they were all screwed. 

One managed to evade the soldiers for ten minutes before something struck the side of his neck and he fell. His vision fogged as he tried to crawl – to hide. It was too late. A boot caught him in his ribcage and flipped him onto his back. 

He’d been captured. 

__

He woke up on his back. His body laid out upon something hard and uncomfortable. Not a bed. One blinked his eyes open and stared up at the bright light above him. Not his room. Not on the Raza. His wrist twitched and the sound of metal clanging together echoed in his ears. One couldn’t move. 

“You were not the fish I hoped to catch.” A silky voice drifted through the fog in One’s mind. One shivered. Not among friends.

Owlishly One blinked up at Alex Rook’s bearded face. 

“I would torture you for information, but I doubt you’d be very forthcoming.” The man continued as One stared back at him. “You did sacrifice yourself, after all. A very noble and brave move, by the way – foolish, but noble.” 

One figured talking to the man would get him nowhere, so he kept his mouth shut and wondered if the others were safe. He hoped whatever Two had been hit with had only knocked her out for a short amount of time. With any luck Three had gotten her back to the Raza and they were far away from this place. Safe. 

“I thought about simply killing you.” Rook confessed and One froze a little at the thought. He hadn’t considered that outcome. Well, he had, but obviously the idea of dying hadn’t been the focus of his ‘I’m a decoy’ plan. All he had been able to think about was saving his crew. 

Rook Continued, “I’m sure you’ll be relieved to hear I’ve decided to keep you.” 

Actually, One thought to himself, it wasn’t a relief at all. Especially the way Rook was looking at him like a prized specimen. 

“You see I have many interests. I don’t limit my mind to one field of science. I like to experiment. It’s not often that a willing test subject drops into my lap. I plan on taking advantage of your eagerness to help.” 

One managed a very drugged glare. “I wouldn’t go right to eager.” One told his captor. 

Rook grinned. “I look forward to getting to know you.”   
__

Time blurred. 

The only constant One was able to focus on besides pain and waves of numbness was Rook. The man was always there when One managed to open his eyes. Mostly One slept. Too drugged to keep his eyes open. Too in pain or numb to care. 

__

“Wake up you idiot!” Three’s voice sliced through the darkness. 

One’s eyes snapped open. This wasn’t a dream. He panted, heart racing in fear as someone struggled with the straps around his wrist. 

“Had to go off and play hero, didn’t you?” The berating continued. One looked up at Three’s smeared face and tried to blink him into clarity. It didn’t work. The drugs that had been continuously pumped into his system still griped him tightly. 

One’s eyes fluttered. He was ready to be dragged back into the safety of unconsciousness. 

“Hey!” Three slapped One across the face. “No sleeping, asshole.” 

“Three.” One croaked, but the sound was so soft he wasn’t certain if his unwanted companion heard him. Maybe not so unwanted – 

Three had managed to free One’s hands and legs and pulled him from the table onto crumbling feet. Three shifted, taking most of One’s weight upon his own shoulders. “Keep quiet and don’t make me carry you all the way back to the Raza.” Three hissed as they started off in a direction. One barely understood that he was being rescued. He did his best to obey orders, though. Shuffling forward with one foot in front of the other. 

The drugs made it hard to remember. One minute Three was hauling him down a tunnel and the next One was waking up again. With a wince One reached up to grab his head. It hurt. The numb waves had vanished, leaving only the pain. Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes and sound echoed around him. Voices. There were too many voices – too many feelings. 

Everything was shouting at him. One wondered briefly if his ears were bleeding before the darkness swallowed him whole.   
__

“What happened?” Two asked as Android scanned One’s prone body again. 

“The tests were inconclusive.” The Android admitted. “I suggest further testing.” 

“I should have grabbed some of the shit they were pumping into him.” Three cursed and paced. It was unlike him to show so much emotion, but he felt guilty. Two probably felt the same, but she was standing statue still as she studied One’s pale body. 

“All that matters is that we got him out.” Two told Three without breaking her focus on One.

It had only been three days since they had lost him. One looked like he’d been through hell – paler than normal and far too thin. Three wasn’t even sure they had fed One during his captivity. It sure as hell didn’t look like they had. 

“The guy is a psychopath.” Three said. “We should have killed him.” 

“Killing Rook wouldn’t have changed what happened.” Four spoke from his position by the door. His steady eyes watched over One’s still form. “We won’t know what happened until One can tell us.” 

Five sat perched on one of the other beds. “I’ve never seen him cry before.” She whispered, drawing one leg closer to her body and hugging it with her arms. 

“He’s in pain.” Two moved closer to the younger girl. 

“Can we give him something?” Five asked Android. 

“I would not recommend administering more drugs into his system.” Android answered reluctantly. “Not until we are able to identify what is causing his discomfort.” 

Three frowned. Their group was smaller now, without Six. The traitorous bastard. It had taken the entire team – sans Six – to escape prison. Three would be damned if he would let pretty boy die now. Especially after the asshole scarified himself during that last mission. 

If it hadn’t been for One, they would have all been captured by Rook. 

Of course, Three knew it wasn’t purely loyalty that sent One into ‘hero’ mode. The damned idiot was still trying to prove something. After the plague of suspicion that ended with Six betraying everyone, One had gone quiet. Three still had nightmares about One telling Two to kill him during the last stand off, because in the dream Three never hesitated. One had been out gunned – he hadn’t stood a chance. 

Three hadn’t liked One in the beginning. The guy had innocent eyes and too many morals to be on a ship filled with killers. It was that ‘better than’ attitude that made Three uneasy around One. At the time, he had been so sure that One didn’t belong with them – that he was the mole. 

Being wrong never sat well with Three. 

Looking back, Three realized he let his own emotions blind him. One had saved his life more times than Three liked to think about. Even when One would have benefited from Three’s death. 

But that was in the past. 

Mostly. 

“So what?” Three asked the damned robot. “We just let him roll around in agony?” 

The Android paused. “If you would like to risk killing him – ” 

Three punched the wall and stormed out. 

After they escaped, One had been mostly mute. He kept to himself, only really talking to Five. The crew had been broken. Four finally suggested they split up, but Two refused. She made a heartfelt speech about being a family. 

She was right, in a way. Not about them being a family, because that was all kinds of weird, but Three did realize he didn’t want to leave any of them behind. Now that they knew who to trust, he wanted to fix things. Especially with One. 

Too bad the idiot made things so damned hard. One avoided Three like the plague. The Raza wasn’t even that big of a ship, but somehow One always seemed to be anywhere Three wasn’t. 

And then One had to go and get himself kidnapped by a mad scientist. Emphasis on the word ‘mad.’ 

Three couldn’t watch One suffer. He wouldn’t. He’d go back to the infirmary when things were okay. Three needed One to be fixed. 

\--

One drifted. He floated in flowing feelings. Lost. Emotions ate at him – thoughts brushed across his mind like the tip of a knife. It hurt. No matter what he did, he couldn’t stop the onslaught.

\--

“The tests won’t be completed for some time.” Android told Five, the last of the Raza crew to remain by One’s side as the night stretched towards morning. “Perhaps you should rest.” 

“I’m not tired.” Five dropped a shoulder as she started to swing her legs back and forth over the side of the table she was perched on. 

“You have been yawning frequently over the last two hours.” Android pointed out, her head tipped to the side as if she were solving a puzzle. “You do not wish for One to wake up alone.” It wasn’t a question. 

Five gave her robotic companion a faded smile. “Got it in one.” She said. “He saved us that day,” Five continued. “I just think someone should be here when he wakes up.” 

“It won’t be for a while.” Android told the young girl. “However, if you would like to rest, I can prepare the other exam bed.” She offered. Five considered her answer for a moment and nodded her acceptance. 

__

One was dreaming, but it wasn’t his dream. He was someone else, but the dream didn’t belong to that person either. It was the strangest thing, like having two people crowd inside his head and simultaneously tell him a story that he was forced to act out. It was awkward and hard pressed. The motions he made with the swords in his hands were uncoordinated and choppy. 

‘This isn’t right.’ A voice said. ‘Something is wrong.’

‘This isn’t real.’ He replied tiredly. 

‘Of course it isn’t real.’ The voice frowned and everything stood still. Frozen in space. It was too dark and too fuzzy to make out details. ‘Who’s there?’

One frowned. ‘I just want to sleep.’ He said without answering. To answer himself would prove he’d finally lost his mind, wouldn’t it? Maybe that was Rook’s end game. 

‘Just leave me alone!’ One begged and shut the scene out of his mind, pushing it away as hard as he could.

__

Five woke with a start, bolting upright. She panted for breath as her hand gripped the shirt covering the skin and bones above her pounding heart. 

“Are you alright?” Android asked curiously. 

Five looked at her and then at One. “Did he wake up?” 

“Not yet.” Android answered cheerfully. 

The pain hit Five next. It might have been there since she opened her eyes, but she had been too distracted to notice. With a gasp she leaned forward and cupped her aching forehead in her hand. 

Warm blood dripped from her nose. Gravity guided the drops gracefully onto her shirt. 

“Five,” Two suddenly appeared and leaned the younger girl back down onto the bed she had been resting on. “What’s wrong?” 

“Head.” Five croaked. “Hurts so bad.” 

“Give her something!” Two demanded Android. At least Five hoped she was talking to the Android, Five could only focus on the pain. Someone was running their fingers through her hair, it felt nice. Something else pricked her arm, which wasn’t as nice, but Five realized that relief would come soon enough. 

Eventually a rush of cool numbness replaced the agony. Five sighed in relief and blinked her eyes open to look up at a worried Two. 

“I’m okay now.” Five offered tiredly. 

“What happened?” Two asked quietly as she continued to run her fingers gently through Five’s green hair. 

“I – I was dreaming. It was one of Four’s memories, but suddenly it – I don’t even know how to describe it. Everything was wrong. It was like I wasn’t alone.” Five tried to explain. 

“Not alone?” Two repeated carefully, concern written on her face. 

“Yeah,” Five nodded, relaxing under Two’s gentle touches. “Like, someone else was inside my head. I – I think I talked to them. They, he,” She glanced at One’s still form. It had sounded so much like One. “I’m – sure it was a dream. It was just, weird.” 

“And you woke up with a headache?” Two asked. 

“Yes.” Five dipped her head a little to signify a nod. “I sat up really fast.” She tried to explain it away. 

“And the nosebleed?” Two narrowed her eyes. 

“I don’t know.” Five admitted. “You don’t really think that One – ” 

Two considered Five silently and sent her own worried glance to One. “Rook had him for Three days.” 

“Could it be possible?” Five asked. “Someone entering another person’s dream?” 

“You can.” Two pointed out. “It shouldn’t really be possible to download five lifetimes of memories into one person either, but it happened.” 

Five sighed. “You have a point.” 

“The monitors did show increased agitation in One’s brain function just before Five woke.” Android helpfully supplied. “Everything has since gone back to normal.” 

Two frowned, but turned her attention back to Five. “No napping near One, not until we can figure out if this is all coincidental.” 

Five nodded, but in her mind she knew it had been One inside her head. 

__

One felt like his head would split open as his eyelids cracked apart. He stared up into Five’s excited face. She shouted something, her lips moving off towards the door. He couldn’t focus on her words, her emotions carved into One like knives. Five was joined by a calmer presence. Four, One guessed without looking. His eyes closed tightly.   
__

“Interesting,” Android said as Five jerked her hand back from One’s arm. He had flinched away violently, nearly falling off the table in the process. 

“What is it?” Two asked as she entered the room. Four glanced towards her, his hand casually placed near the sword strapped to his hip. Like he sensed danger. The only danger possibly was from One, who had curled into himself on the bed, his back turned towards a very dismayed Five. 

“His vitals seem to react negatively to the proximity of each of you.” Android frowned and locked eyes with Two. She felt her heart sink. What had Rook done to One? Whatever it was, it clearly wasn’t good. 

“What exactly does that mean?” Two asked.

“Perhaps he feels crowded.” Android suggested. “He very well might not realize he is surrounded by friends.” 

Friends. Two sighed. 

“Let’s test that theory.” Two announced and gently took Five’s arm and guided her from the room. “Let’s give One some space while Android works on him.” She told the younger girl who paled and nodded silently as she gave One a final glance before leaving the room. Two watched her hurry off and silently hoped that Five wouldn’t try and climb in the vents to spy on One’s progress. 

Four had followed them out, closing the door behind him. 

“Five mentioned something about a dream she had earlier.” Four told Two as they stood in the hallway. 

Two answered with a nod. She still wasn’t sure what to take from that. Two couldn’t remember Rook except for her most recent experience with him. He was a mad man. A manipulator. A genius. Could Rook have done something to One that would allow his mind to enter someone else’s?

“We don’t know what happened to him.” Two said finally. 

“He could be dangerous.” Four pointed out. 

Two looked at Four. He didn’t look angry or vengeful. Four looked concerned. 

“We’re all dangerous.” Two pointed out. “This is One we’re talking about, he wouldn’t hurt us. Not if he could help it.” 

Four nodded sharply and looked towards the closed door. “His loyalties have been made clear.” 

The two of them paused their conversation as Android’s voice sounded over the com system. She was transmitting the conversation to all of them. 

__

Android watched as One’s body slowly relaxed now that the human members of the crew had left the area. 

“One?” She coaxed. “You are among friends.” 

One slowly rolled onto his back and stared unblinking up at the light above him. “I know.” He answered, voice rough. Android moved closer, elevating the bed so that One could sit more upright. 

“Can you explain what you are experiencing?” Android asked as she handed the pale man a cup filled with water. 

“No.” One croaked and quietly drank the offered water. He looked at his wrists for a moment, the bandages that encircled them. “It, hurts.” 

Android moved closer and gently took One’s wrist to exam it. 

“Not that.” One moved away from her touches. “My, head.” He tried to explain. “It, feels too full.” 

“Do you remember what Rook was trying to accomplish?” Android asked. 

“He said he needed lab rats.” One answered tiredly. “After that, it gets kind of fuzzy. Just, overwhelming – everything. Pain, excitement, indifference, annoyance – so many emotions followed by complete numbness.” 

Android tipped her head. “They were your emotions?” 

One froze. “No.” 

“Whose emotions were they?” Android asked after a moment of silent concern. 

“I don’t know.” One admitted. 

“Do you feel more than your own emotions at the moment?” Android questioned. 

One’s hand trembled a little. “Yes.” He said. “But they are faded.”

“Can you feel your own emotions?”

One looked at her and frowned. “I think so? It’s hard to tell, sometimes. It’s all kind of blurred together.” 

“Do you think you could handle someone else in the same room as you?” Android asked. 

“I-I don’t know.” One breathed. “Yes?” 

Android nodded. “Two? Would you like to come back in the room?” 

One’s eyes turned to the door and watched it warily as it opened. He tensed painfully as Two entered. She shut the door behind her and kept her distance. 

“One.” Two said quietly. 

He hissed and drew his legs closer to his chest – as if it would protect him. “Two.” He stared back at her. 

“Am I hurting you?” Two asked worriedly. 

“Not – not really.” One stammered. “Its just, hard – to focus. I can’t explain – I just, feel so worried.” 

Two frowned. “Worried about what?” 

One laughed humorlessly. “That’s the joke. I don’t know.” 

“I’m worried.” Two told him quietly. “About you. Right now. What do you feel?” 

One shook his head. “Worried.” He repeated. 

“No.” Two stepped closer. “What do you feel?” 

“Scared.” One said. “I feel calm, guilty, angry – I don’t know. What did he do to me?” Panic started to tighten around each word One said. 

Two took in a calming breath. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure this out.” 

__

One had asked to be sedated. Two stayed with him until he was safely sleeping and announced over the com that they would have a crew meeting in the mess hall. She joined the others after taking a moment to consider her own thoughts. 

“So what?” Three shouted as soon as Two entered the room. “He’s some sort of psychic now?” 

“Empathic, maybe. Telepathic?” Two sighed. “I don’t know. He can feel our emotions. When we were all in the room with him it was overwhelming. He also may have jumped into Five’s dream.” 

Four nodded. “I thought he might be a danger to us.” The quiet man said. “Now we are a danger to him.” 

“Not necessarily.” Five spoke up. “Maybe he can learn to control it?” 

Three’s bitterly angry expression seemed to lighten at the thought. “Is there a chance this might not be permanent?” 

“Android is trying to figure that out.” Two answered with a sigh and turned to Five. “We’ll help him, if it isn’t something that will go away. He just needs time.”

“He will be able to control it.” Four nodded stiffly. “I will work with him.” 

“Got a few meditation techniques you think will help?” Three mocked. “He can’t control something that’s not controllable.” 

“Emotions can be – ”

Three shook his head. “He can learn to control his own emotions, sure, but what about our emotions. He can’t control what isn’t his.” 

His crewmates were silent as they considered the new problem. 

“Than we all need to learn control.” Two told them. “All we can do is figure this out as we go.” 

Three deflated with a nod. 

“Sign me up for a lesson.” Five told Four. 

“We’ll make a schedule,” Two suggested. 

Three stood there and listened as the team planned things out. He thought back to One and wondered if any of this would work. Guilt and anger consumed him and those emotions caused One harm. How could he ever control himself enough to be around One? 

It felt impossible – but Three was just stubborn enough to try.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for stopping by!


End file.
